Leaders in Stormwater: TED BROWN

We kick off 2024 with this LEADER IN STORMWATER - a devoted contributor who has collaborated with other spearheading visionaries to advance important areas of stormwater management, watershed protection, and ecological restoration - Baltimore native Ted Brown, Biohabitats’ new President and CEO.

Ted’s path into water resources was unconventional as it began with a degree in Economics from UNC-Chapel Hill. After working at various jobs for a few years, he reflected on the positive impact growing up amongst rivers, lakes, and oceans brought him, and received his masters in civil engineering at UVA. Ted landed a job with Wright Water Engineers, Inc. - a firm valuing water as an asset in the arid mountains of Colorado - opening Ted’s eyes to how critical it is to appreciate and respect water. Over the next 4 years, he says he “found [his] legs in the field thanks to Jon Jones, P.E., P.H., BC.WRE, CEO, who gave [him] opportunities to grow, make mistakes, and take on responsibility.”

Working alongside Jon, Ted was introduced to Tom Schueler and the Center for Watershed Protection (CWP). Then, in 1998, when Ted and his family moved back to the east coast, he took the opportunity to join CWP for 8 years, ultimately serving as Director of Watershed Implementation. Ted describes Tom as a godfather of watershed protection and a mentor, giving Ted and his budding colleagues the opportunity to travel coast to coast learning about stormwater challenges across the different regions of the country.

While at CWP, Ted met board member Keith Bowers, FASLA, RLA, PWS, Founder, Past President, and current Practice Leader of Biohabitats – a multi-disciplinary firm with a mission to ‘Restore the Earth and Inspire Ecological Stewardship’. After learning about Biohabitats' important work, Ted was intrigued and, in 2006, joined their team and then took on the role of Practice Leader. This past year, under Keith’s vision, Biohabitats became a Perpetual Purpose Trust with a new leadership team in place, inspiring Ted and his talented colleagues to "ensure Nature has a seat at the table".

Ted sums up his stormwater experience as being “absolutely inspired and humbled by water”. He explains that water is undervalued, and he sees a need for those in the industry to champion clean water and conserve water resources. Ted says, "In the midst of a climate change crisis, the urgency is underscored; we need to adopt successful initiatives playing out in other countries - protecting 30% of the highest quality water and wetlands, and restoring 30% of those that are impaired". Ted explains, “[We] need to do a better job of redeveloping and repurposing through smart water management that strives to achieve net zero water goals - with stormwater playing a strong role in such goals.” Ted’s dedication to stormwater management extends beyond his career as he also serves on the Chesapeake Stormwater Network board in an effort to protect the mid-Atlantic watersheds.